Kenyan officials condemn use of tear gas at children's protest

NAIROBI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Kenyan officials on Tuesday
rushed to condemn the use of teargas against children at a
Nairobi primary school who were protesting at the loss of their
playground.

Monday's incident was widely broadcast on local and
international media, and many Kenyans took to social media to
show their outrage, some using the Twitter hashtag
#OccupyPlayGround.

Police were seen firing at least three canisters of tear gas
just outside the Langata Primary School as several hundred tried
to knock down a wall surrounding the playground in protest at
what they called an illegal "land grab" to turn it into a car
park.

Children wearing green school uniforms were seen scampering
away from the clouds of gas, coughing and choking.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said he had censured the Ministry
of Lands and the National Land Commission for failing to address
the dispute sooner.

He also said the head teacher should answer for the fact
that the children had been allowed to protest.

"Even when we want to protest, we must do it in a civilised
manner and not involve children," Kenyatta said at a public
event.

Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery visited the school to
echo Kenyatta's message. A police spokesman said that "a level
of force which is not commensurate to the persons involved"
appeared to have been used, and the officers involved would be
held accountable.
(Additional reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Editing by Kevin
Liffey)